During Giovanni Cicione’s acceptance speech for the nomination to continue as State Chairman for the Republican Party, he attributed their crushing November defeats to an energized Democrat Party, a damaged national Republican brand, and weak fundraising.

“We had a plan to assume a level of funding which we did not achieve,” said Cicione, who also lamented not receiving enough volunteer help that he had counted on.

But earlier at the meeting at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet in Cranston, Sean Gately, who ran unsuccessfully against Beatrice Lanzi (D-Cranston) in last year’s election, made a motion to require all members of the State Central Committee—party bosses; local city and town committees; and elected officials—to donate 30 cents per day each year.

The measure was tabled by a near unanimous vote, with no one but Gately in favor of the motion.

Cicione, unopposed for the party chairmanship, pointed out that many of those opposed were “some of our biggest donors” who had concerns that requiring regular donations could exclude people from the party or “give the impression that the party is ‘pay to play’,” said Cicione.

A look into the state GOP’s war chest shows the party is in desperate need of cash. As of the fourth quarter of last year, the party had $10,856. By contrast, the state Democrat Party had $102,648—over nine times the GOP cash.

The GOP raised about $800 at that meeting, Cicione said. Governor Donald Carcieri pledged to match the next $5,000 in contributions. That pledge is in effect after the meeting.

As expected, Cicione and Carceiri blasted President Obama.

“Right now we’ve got an administration that’s taking this country in a direction, God, that we’ve never seen. And it’s going to bankrupt this nation.

It’s disgraceful what’s going on,” the governor said. “It’s going to be proven a dismal failure, a dismal failure, so the opportunity is here for us, I believe, I really do.”

The comments conflict with the Carcieri administration’s embrace of Obama’s fiscal policy of using the Treasury to balance state budgets. Carcieri has accepted the stimulus and has decided to use the funds to balance this and next year’s budget. During a recent interview on 630 WPRO, Michael Lewis, the Director of The Department of Transportation said “we welcome the stimulus funds”.

Cicione, during his remarks, said, “Do I want Obama to fail? Absolutely.”

Cicione predicted the party would rebound.

“Sometimes it takes a Carter to get a Reagan,” Cicione said.

Mayor Scott Avedisian and Cranston Mayor Alan Fung were present at the meeting; along with National Committee member Joseph Trillo, who is considering a gubernatorial bid.

The Republican State Central Committee also passed a resolution asking Vice President Joseph Biden to protest the creation of the skateboard park in Pawtucket, which will be built with stimulus money. Biden is on record saying he would protest unreasonable uses of the money, which, the Republicans say, would be unreasonable.